FBI, DHS Run Nationwide Cyber Campaign (Washington Free Beacon): The FBI and DHS began a nationwide campaign warning companies running electrical infrastructure in the country of the dangers posed by cyber threats, according to the Washington Free Beacon. The program began on March 31, and include webinars in eight U.S. states of an “unclassified briefing” called “Ukraine Cyber Attack: Implications for U.S. Stakeholders,” the article explained. Specifically, according to the article, those who watch the webinar briefings will learn details of past cyber attacks, including the techniques and strategies used by hackers who target infrastructure. The full article can be found here.

Iranians Indicted on Cyber Crimes: The U.S. Department of Justice has indicted seven Iranians for cyber crimes under 18 U.S.C. 1030. The seven defendants are: Ahmad Fathi, Hamid Firoozi, Amin Shokohi, Sadegh Ahmadzadegan (“Nitr0jen26”), Omid Ghaffarinia (“PLuS”), Sina Keissar, and Nader Saedi (“Turk Server”). According to the court document, Fathi, Firoozi, and Shokohi were, at times relevant to the indictment, were employees of ITSec Team. The remaining defendants, Nitr0jen26, PLuS, Keissar, and Turk Server were employees of Mersad Co. (“Mersad”). ITSec Team and Mersad were private computer security companies based in Iran and actually performed work on behalf of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (“IRGC”), according to the indictment. The defendants are alleged to have violated 18 U.S.C. 1030(a)(5)(A) — the “Computer Damage statute” — as well as 18 U.S.C. 1030(a)(2) — the “Anti-hacking statute.” The unsealed indictment can be found here.

Chinese Cyber Spying Decreased Since Agreement with U.S. (Financial Times): According to the Financial Times, government and private sector experts are claiming that Chinese cyber espionage activities have decreased since September 2015 when China agreed with the U.S. to refrain from conducting such activities to boost domestic businesses. The Director of the National Security Agency, Admiral Michael Rogers, appeared earlier this month in front of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and testified that Chinese hacking continues, however, at a lower level, the article continued. The question remains, though, of whether the hacking currently being perpetrated is for government use or for commercial purposes, Admiral Rogers reportedly testified to the committee. The full article can be found here.

Professor William Snyder

Ryan D. White

Ryan is currently a third year law student at Syracuse University College of Law, and is also pursuing a Master of Public Administration degree from Syracuse’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. Ryan spent time with Homeland Security Investigations while pursuing his undergraduate degree at Wesleyan University, and spent his first summer of law school as clerk for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of New York. He is a member of Syracuse Law Review, the Journal on Terrorism and Security Analysis, and participates in the Veteran’s Legal Clinic.

Christopher W. Folk

is a 2017 graduate of SU College of Law. A non-traditional student, Christopher returned to academia after spending nearly twenty years in the high tech industry. Christopher served in the Marine Corps, graduated from Cornell University with a B.S. In Applied Economics and Business Management, attended Northeastern University’s High-Tech MBA Program and received a M.S. In Computer Information Systems. Christopher previously worked in Software Engineering. Christopher is currently serving his second term as Town Justice for the Town of Waterloo. Christopher externed with a Cybersecurity firm in the Washington, D.C. area between his first and second year at SU College of Law.

Anna Maria Castillo

is 2016 graduate of Syracuse College of Law. She also holds a Master of Arts in International Relations from Syracuse University's Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. She has interned at a London-based think-tank that specializes in transnational terrorism and global security and at the legal department of a defense contractor. She served as an executive editor in the Syracuse Law Review.

Jennifer A. Camillo

is a 2015 graduate of Syracuse College of Law and is a prosecutor. She has served as a law clerk in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York and the Cayuga County District Attorney’s Office and as an extern in the Oneida County District Attorney’s Office. She was a member of the Syracuse National Trial Team and was awarded the Tiffany Cup by the New York Bar Association for her trial advocacy achievements.

Tara J. Pistorese

holds Juris Doctor and Masters of Public Administration degrees from Syracuse University's Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and its College of Law. She wrote for this blog when a student. She is now a member of the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General's Corps.

Benjamin Zaiser

is both a scholar and a Federal Agent of the Federal Criminal Police Office of Germany. (Opinions expressed here are his own and not any part of official duty.)